A Curly Hair

Once upon a time, a man asked a yogi to grant him a personal genie so that he can have the genie do whatever he wishes.

The yogi agreed but warned the man that the genie MUST have something to do or he will eat the man.

“No problem” the man said, “I have plenty of tasks for him.”

As soon as the genie appeared, he asked for work. So the man commanded him to build a beautiful palace full of furniture, thinking that it will take genie some time. But to his surprise, the genie was done in seconds.

The man asked for servants. Snap! In a fraction of a second, the palace was full of servants. The man asked for food. Snap! Tables full of all types of food appeared right in front of him.

Soon, the man had nothing to ask for. The genie turned to him ready to eat him.

The man got frightened and ran back to the yogi, with genie following close behind.

“Please,” he begged the yogi, “Could you take him away! I can’t find any more things for him to do. I am sorry that I was so selfish.”

The yogi took pity: “OK. I’ll take care of the genie.” He plucked a curly hair from his head and handed it to genie: “Here, straighten this hair and stand it on its end.”

The genie pulled the hair straight but as soon as he let it go, the curly hair curled back into its spiral shape. Again and again, the genie tried, but how could he straighten a really curly hair!?

Then, the yogi addressed the man: “Whenever you have something for genie to do, ask him to do it. As soon as he is done, ask him to go back to the curly hair.”

In this story, the genie represents the mind, powerful, obsessive, and self-destructive. The curly hair is a meditation practice like mantra repetition, a positive thought, or breathing routine.

Whenever your mind does not HAVE TO be occupied, why allow it to drive you crazy? Give the mind a curly hair to work with – let it focus on a meditation practice – and you’ll always retain your peace.